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What LinkedIn's IPO Means for You

What LinkedIn's IPO Means for You
Now that the dust has settled a bit on LinkedIn's successful IPO, you might have wondered what the implications are for your job search. Will the site change? What will happen to your membership? Are more people expected to join? Will another networking hub overtake LinkedIn as the favorite of business-people and job seekers? Here are some musings on what the new state of LinkedIn can mean for you:Site changes. Interestingly enough, LinkedIn HAS changed its functionality significantly over the past 18 months, potentially in preparation for its IPO. In case you didn't notice, the new Skills sections and search functionality appeared late last year. In addition, site functions that once were available from the top menu bar started to drift around. More notably, the Settings page became more user-friendly, with the Privacy controls a bit easier to understand. So, it IS possible the navigation and menus will continue to shift...but keep in mind much of the change may have already occurred. More jobs. No, I'm not referring to the site's job search engine, but the company itself. It's expected the company will start to boost its technology workforce, and may even open offices outside of California - meaning a slot could open up for you. A burgeoning membership. Imitators and new social networking sites aside (Quora, anyone?), LinkedIn is on a tear with its growth, and most site watchers don't expect it to slow anytime soon. At last estimate, the site had around 100 million registered users, but this number is somewhat skewed from the volume of orphan and duplicate profiles. As many recruiters (more than 90% of all active headhunters, according to careers industry surveys) mine the site for the ultimate candidates, LinkedIn is still a mecca for those wanting to find (companies, jobs, services, etc.) and be found. The takeaway? Keep that LinkedIn Profile polished for searchability and branding, and your radar up when it comes to maximizing the site. As business activity continues to grow, and the site continues to attract attention, more features and more active users can only mean that you're in the right place as a job hunter.Laura Smith-Proulx, founder of An Expert Resume, is a resume expert & former recruiter who wins interviews for C-Suite leaders using powerful personal branding and resume strategies.Read more » articles by this approved career expert | Click here » if you’re a career expertPhoto credit: Shutterstock
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